Water closet cistern

ABSTRACT

A siphon discharge cistern is provided in which the cistern can be discharged either partially or fully with the necessity of the operator waiting until the flushing action is completed. The partial discharge is provided by the introduction of air into the siphon unit at a predetermined level of discharge by selective actuation of an operating handle incorporating pawl mechanism said pawl mechanism when in operative position allowing a piston in the siphon unit to rise a predetermined distance whereby a passage is provided for air to enter the siphon unit.

United States Patent "ZZZZLZLH 1.212772347211211:33111;;

Younger 5] May 23, 1972 [54] WATER CLOSET CISTERN 463,286 3 1937 Great Britain ..4/46 [72] Inventor: Thomas Edward Younger, 36 Cherry 466627 6/ 1937 Great f 4/46 C N h Kilb Cl d b k 485,684 5/1938 Great Br1ta1n.... ...4/46 S Y e 1 491,606 9/1938 Great Britain.... ...4/46 809,078 2/1959 Great Britain.... ...4/46 [22] Filed: I Sept. 21, 1970 787,114 12/1957 Great Britain.... ...4/46 881,907 11/1961 Great Britain ...4/46 I 1 PP 73,861 1,037,971 8/1966 Great Britain ..4/46

i 52] Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis 5 l I AttorneyLarson, Taylor and Hinds 4/49, 52, 67, 69, 73 [57] ABSTRACT A siphon discharge cistern is provided in which the cistern can [56] References Cited be discharged either partially or fully with the necessity of the operator waiting until the flushing action is completed. The UNITED STATES PATENTS partial discharge is provided by the introduction of air into the 1 042 365 10 1912 Meyer ..4 46 Siphon unit at a predetermined level discharge by Selective 5 3/19"; WA/46 actuation of an operating handle incorporating pawl i 8/1920 Mccloud 4/46 mechanism said pawl mechanism when in operative position 9 5 1 H955 Burchen "4/46 allowing a piston in the siphon unit to rise a predetermined v I distance whereby a passage is provided for air to enter the FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Siphon unit- 392,647 5/1933 Great Britain ..4/46 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 'Wnited States Patent [151 I 3,663,969 Younger 1 May 23, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiC-d Patented May 23,v 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 23,1972

3 Shoots-Shoot 5 FIGS ' F was. 4

WATER CLOSETCIS'I'ERN This invention relates to improvements in water closet cisterns. a

More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in siphon discharge cisterns.

A disadvantage of known cisterns of this type is that when the siphon effect is initiated by working the operating handle substantially all the water in the cistern is discharged. This results in a considerable wastage of water as very often only a portion of the total water containedin the cistern is actually required for flushing purposes. I

An object of the present invention is to provide a siphon discharge cistern which incorporates means for either totalor partial discharge of the cistern contents.

According to the invention a variable flush siphon discharge cistern comprises a cistern chamber, a siphon unit mounted within the cistern chamber including an inverted U-tube having'a vertical down-comer leg and a vertical up-leg, a cylinder assembly at the lower end of the up-leg and fonned with a roof integrally connected to the up-leg and opening into the supply chamber, means for initiating a siphonic action comprising a piston slidably mounted within the cylinder and connected to a vertical piston rod slidably mounted in the roof of the cylinder and operatively connected by linkage to an operating handle, means for breaking the siphonic action to discharge a predetermined quantity of the contents of the cistern chamber comprising a substantially horizontal gallery in the roof of the cylinder providing communication between the siphon unit and the cistern chamber and nonnally closed by the piston rod and a horizontal bore through the piston rod adapted, on actuation of the piston by the operating handle, to be axially aligned with the gallery.

The operating handle may incorporate a pawl mechanism in its mounting which when in its operative position determines the extent of pivotal movement of the handle and locates the horizontal bore in the piston rod in axial alignment with the gallery.

The amount of partial flush of the cistern may be varied by varying the rotated position of an elbowed pipe located in the end of the gallery communicating with the cistern chamber.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a siphon discharge cistern according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line A--A of FIG. 1;

FIG; 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 8-5 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate details of the pawl mechanism forming part of the invention.

' Referring to the drawings there is depicted a standard valveless siphon discharge cistern comprising a cistern supply chamber 1, and a siphon unit denoted generally at 2 said siphon unit including an inverted U-pipe 3 forming, respectively, a vertical down-comer leg 4 and a vertical up-leg 5, the lower end of the vertical up-leg being provided with an enlarged diameter cylinder 6 formed with a roof 7 integrally connected to the up-leg 5 and opening into the supply chamber 1 at its lower end, a piston 8 slidably mounted within the opening of the cylinder and connected at 9 to an upright piston rod 10 slidably mounted in the roof 7 of the cylinder 6. The free end 11 of the piston rod 10 extends through the roof 7 of the cylinder and is connected by a link 12 to one end of an operating lever 13 the other end of which is pivotally mounted to an operating handle 14 mounted externally of the supply chamber 1. The piston is of standard design and takes the form of a plastics diaphram acting as a closure plate of a non-retum of the partial flush may be varies.

A partial flush is obtained by breaking the siphon prematurely due to the deliberate introduction of air into the siphon unit.

A partial flush is effected by providing a substantially horizontal gallery in the'form of a bore 15 through the roof 7 of the cylinder the end of the gallery which communicates with the up-leg 5 of thesiphon unit is provided with an angled tube 18 extending upwardly into the up-leg 5 to provide communication between the up-leg 5 of the siphon and the supply chamber 1. The piston rod 10 passes through the gallery 15 to normally block the gallery. A horizontal bore 16 is provided through the piston rod 10 within the cylinder 6 the arrangement being such that when the piston rod ascends the bore 16 comes into alignment with the gallery 15 allowing air to enter the siphon unit when the water level in the chamber 1 falls below that of the gallery to break the siphon. I

Toprovide for varying the amount of partial flush the end of the gallery 15 which communicates with the chamber 1 is provided with an elbowed pipe 17 which is rotatably adjustable in the gallery so that .the level at which air may enter the gallery is adjustable according to the rotated position at which the pipe 17 is set.

To provide for alignment of the bore 16 in the piston rod with the gallery 15 the operating handle incorporates a pawl mechanism 19 in its mounting on the supply chamber. The pawl mechanism is such that when the pawl is engaged in its operative position the operating handle may be pivoted only sufficient'to bring the bore in the piston rod into axial alignment with the gallery in the cylinder roof to provide a partial flush of the cistern. When the pawl is disengaged the handle may be depressed fully so that the bore in the piston rod rises above the gallery in the cylinder roof blocking the gallery and providing a full flush.

The pawl mechanism 19 is mounted on the spindle 20 of the handle 14 and comprises a lever 21 pivotally mounted to the spindle 20 and having a tail 22 engageable in a recess 23 machined in a boss 24 within which the spindle 20 is mounted. When the pawl is pivoted away from the handle to an inoperative position as shown in FIG. 4, so that its tail is disengaged from the recess 23, the operating handle can be pivoted its full amount to move the operating lever 13 and the piston rod 10 its full amount so that the bore 16 in the piston rod rises above the gallery 15 to provide a full flush of the cistern.

When the tail 22 of the pawl is punched inward to an operative position towards the boss 24, as shown in FIG. 3, so that the tail engages in the recess 23 the operating handle can only be pivoted an atnount determined by the width of the recess 23. The recess 23 is so dimensioned as to enable the piston rod 10 to rise until the bore 16 is in axial alignment with the gallery 15 in the roof of the cylinder when the pawl is in its operative position.

From the foregoing it will be evident that when the pawl is in its operative position the recess 23 and the operating handle is depressed, the piston rod will ascend until the bore 16 is in axial alignment with the gallery 15 and a siphon is initiated as the piston rises in the cylinder causing displacement of water which will continue until the level of water in the chamber 1 falls to the level of the end of the elbowed pipe 17 thus breaking the siphon by introduction of air into the siphon unit. The amount of flush will vary according to the rotated setting of the elbowed pipe 17.

To obtain a full flush of the cistern the tail of the pawl is disengaged from the recess so that the operating handle can be pivoted until the bore 16 in the piston rod 10 ascends beyond the gallery 15 and the piston rod blocks the gallery so that the siphon will continue until the water level in the chamber 1 falls below the opening in the cylinder 6.

The tail 22 of the pawl is normally biased so that it seats in the recess 23 when the handle returns to its inoperative position on downward movement of the piston.

It should be noted that a particular advantage of the present invention is that when the handle is operated to flush the cistern, whether on half or full flush, it is not necessary for the operator to wait until the flushing action is completed. This feature is not believed to be present in any known construction.

What is claimed is:

1. A variable flush siphon discharge cistern comprising a cistern chamber, a siphon unit mounted within the cistern chamber, said siphon unit including an inverted U-tube having a vertical down-comer leg and a vertical up-leg, an enlarged diameter cylinder at the lower end of the up-leg, said cylinder formed with a roof integrally connected to the up-leg an opening in said cylinder in communication with the cistern chamber, a piston slidably mounted within the cylinder closing said opening, said piston connected to a vertical piston rod slidably mounted in the roof of the cylinder, said piston rod operatively connected by linkage to an operating handle, a substantially horizontal gallery in the roof of the cylinder in communication with the up-leg of the siphon unit and the cistern chamber and normally closed by the piston rod, a horizontal bore through the piston rod adapted, on actuation of the piston by the operating handle, to be axially aligned with the gallery to break the siphonic action to discharge a predetermined quantity of the contents of the cistern chamber.

2. A cistern according to claim 1 including a pawl mechanism operatively associated with the operating handle,

said pawl mechanism including a lever pivotally mounted on the spindle of the operating handle said spindle mounted within a bore, said lever when in operative position, engaging in a recess in said bore, said recess being so dimensioned as to enable the operating handle to rotate only sufficient to raise said piston rod until the bore in the rod is axially aligned with the gallery, and said lever, when in inoperative position, disengaged from the recess to enable the operating handle to be further rotated so that the bore in the piston rod ascend beyond the gallery to allow the siphonic action to continue until the contents of the cistern chamber falls below the opening in the cylinder.

3. A cistern according to claim 1 including means for varying the predetermined quantity of the contents of the cistern to be discharged.

4. A cistern according to claim 3 in which the means for varying the predetermined quantity of the contents of the cistern to be discharged includes an elbowed pipe adjustably located in the end of the gallery communicating with the cistern chamber. 

1. A variable flush siphon discharge cistern comprising a cistern chamber, a siphon unit mounted within the cistern chamber, said siphon unit including an inverted U-tube having a vertical down-comer leg and a vertical up-leg, an enlarged diameter cylinder at the lower end of the up-leg, said cylinder formed with a roof integrally connected to the up-leg an opening in said cylinder in communication with the cistern chamber, a piston slidably mounted within the cylinder closing said opening, said piston connected to a vertical piston rod slidably mounted in the roof of the cylinder, said piston rod operatively connected by linkage to an operating handle, a substantially horizontal gallery in the roof of the cylinder in communication with the up-leg of the siphon unit and the cistern chamber and normally closed by the piston rod, a horizontal bore through the piston rod adapted, on actuation of the piston by the operating handle, to be axially aligned with the gallery to break the siphonic action to discharge a predetermined quantity of the contents of the cistern chamber.
 2. A cistern according to claim 1 including a pawl mechanism operatively associated with the operating handle, said pawl mechanism including a lever pivotally mounted on the spindle of the operating handle said spindle mounted within a bore, said lever when in operative position, engaging in a recess in said bore, said recess being so dimensioned as to enable the operating handle to rotate only sufficient to raise said piston rod until the bore in the rod is axially aligned with the gallery, and said lever, when in inoperative position, disengaged from the recess to enable the operating handle to be further rotated so that the bore in the piston rod ascend beyond the gallery to allow the siphonic action to continue until the contents of the cistern chamber falls below the opening in the cylinder.
 3. A cistern according to claim 1 including means for varying the predetermined quantity of the contents of the cistern to be discharged.
 4. A cistern according to claim 3 in which the means for varying the predetermined quantity of the contents of the cistern to be discharged includes an elbowed pipe adjustably located in the end of the gallery communicating with the cistern chamber. 